The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership

What makes an agency grow without losing its soul? In this Season 2 recap of The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership , co-hosts Bill Coletti and Aarti Shah reflect on the five major themes that emerged from their interviews with expert agency leaders, including how structure can enhance creativity, why clearly defining personal values helps navigate growth, and what it takes to build an authe...

In this conversation, Aarti Shah and Bill Coletti connect with Barbara Bates, a seasoned agency leader and founder and former CEO of Eastwick Communications. They cover the evolution of agency leadership, the importance of personal branding, and the value of building relationships within the industry. They explore the challenges of retirement, the significance of shared values among partners, and...

In this new series, Aarti and Bill sit down with Susan Butenhoff, trailblazing agency founder of Access Communications. The discussion delves into the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship, the importance of mentorship, and the evolving landscape of agency models. Susan reflects on her experiences, the sacrifices made for success, and the joy she finds in her work today. The conversatio...

In this episode of the Heart and Science of Creative Leadership podcast, host Bill Coletti speaks with Monique Farmer, owner of Avant Solutions, about her journey in public relations, the importance of clear communication, and the evolution of leadership. Monique shares insights on client education, the significance of specialization in PR, and the challenges of delegation. She also discusses her...

In this episode of the Heart and Science of Creative Leadership podcast, host Bill Coletti speaks with Lori Jones, the principal and owner of Avocet Communications. They discuss the journey of Avocet, which began in the basement of Lori's childhood home, and how her father's entrepreneurial spirit influenced her path. The conversation delves into the importance of operational readiness, the agency...

In this episode, Bill Coletti speaks with Ken Luce, president of LDWW, about his entrepreneurial journey, self-care in leadership, balancing business priorities, and fostering strong company culture. They discuss client service, recruitment strategies, and evolving agency-client relationships. They delve into team dynamics, mental health awareness, and leadership challenges, sharing thoughts on em...

In this special episode of the Heart and Science of Creative Leadership podcast, hosts Bill Coletti and Aarti discuss their personal and professional journeys, exploring their backgrounds in public relations and politics. They reflect on their experiences, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the importance of autonomy in the workplace. The conversation highlights the intersection of their care...

In this episode of the Heart and Science of Creative Leadership podcast, Bill and Aarti sit down with Andrew Bleeker, President and founder of Bully Pulpit Media. They explore the evolution of digital campaigning, the benefits of political campaign experience in agency work, the complexities of acquisitions, and the challenge and strategy of maintaining innovation in a competitive landscape.  http...

Aarti and Bill, with guest Michael Young of Millwright Holdings, discuss the critical role of transparency in business, particularly in leadership and team dynamics. They explore the balance of confidentiality, the implications of AI, with key insights on sustainable growth and agency resilience. https://www.millwrightholdings.com/ "Transparency has to go both ways."

Bill and Aarti reflect on recurring themes in recent episodes, discussing the power of great questions, time affluence, and leading teams well in the search for work-life balance. They also touch on DEI and the challenges faced by small entrepreneurs in building diverse teams. They highlight the financial benefits of having a diverse workforce and the need for companies to unlearn proximity bias i...

Bill and Aarti are joined by Kathleen Gratehouse, founder of Highwire, discussing her journey in tech PR and the growth of her agency. Kathleen shares about the early days of Highwire, the challenges and benefits to starting an agency in an economic downturn, and their decision to secure outside capital investment.  She highlights the importance of choosing the right business partners and the valu...

Aarti and Bill speak with Armando Azarloza, principal and co-founder of the AXIS agency, about the direction of multicultural marketing and the blurring of lines between multicultural and general markets.  As the market evolves, he believes that being in culture, rather than just language, is crucial for effective communication. He also articulates the concept of sponsorship versus mentorship cult...

Bill and Aarti hear from Vijay Chattha, founder of VSC, as he shares his unconventional journey to becoming an agency owner and discusses his problem-solving approach to PR. His key insights on hiring PR outsiders, innovation, DEI, team culture in the remote work era, and connection in the age of AI are insightful and inspiring. "We're just problem solvers. What's the problem today an...

Aarti and Bill sit down with Bob Feldman, co-founder of FHS Capital Partners and previous executive for ICF Next, DreamWorks Animation, GCI Group, Ketchum and Burson-Marsteller. Bob articulates his journey from big agencies to entrepreneurship, sharing wisdom on moving from tactics to strategy in your agency, lifestyle vs. performance businesses, the significance of talent in professional service...

Bill and Aarti reflect on the key themes and lessons from their conversations with entrepreneurs. They explore a core question that every entrepreneur must answer: am I building a lifestyle or performance growth business? They also discuss the importance — and challenges — of transparency and how to operationalize culture and values. 

Bill and Aarti talk to Bob Finlayson, who co-founded Bold Marketing in 2020 after a decades long career working with brands like IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft in agency leadership roles. In this conversation, Bob talks about how he collaborates and compromises with his business partner — and how they have found creative solutions to bringing on senior talent as a boutique agency. The conversation...

In this episode, Bill and Aarti talk to Josh Reynolds who founded Rob Roy Consulting in 2017 and, before that, held several leadership positions at WPP agencies and marketing roles at startups. Josh shares insights on instilling culture within a family business and the challenges that come with it. He also reframes communications and public relations as the business of persuasion — and how that op...

Bill and Aarti are joined by Jeff Hunt, former CEO of GCI Health and now a founding partner of Legend Labs. He talks about his journey from leading one of the biggest PR firms to becoming an entrepreneur. The conversation also covers: why leaders must move away from hourly billing, how to incentivize an ambitious workforce, and the tricky game of transparency when running a small firm.  "Ther...

Bill and Aarti are joined by Tracy Williams who founded Olmstead Williams Public Relations in 2008. Her success formula includes outright asking for business and speaking candidly about budgets with clients and prospects. She describes building her business on six core values that guide decision-making for the entire agency. The conversation also covers servant leadership, retaining top talent, an...

Welcome to The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership , the podcast where we delve into the journeys of agency founders, exploring their methods, milestones, and mistakes. Hosted by Aarti Shah, a marketing and brand consultant for creative agencies, and Bill Coletti, an agency owner and leadership advisor, each episode offers intimate conversations with successful leaders in the creative industr...